KARACHI: The first day of the President Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah 5-A side hockey tournament at the Olympian Hanif Khan Hockey Stadium witnessed great excitement and interesting matches. The talent and spirit of the players from various hockey clubs made the day memorable.
According to Pakistan Hockey Federation, the opening match saw Youth HC Orange clinching a thrilling victory over Hanif Khan with a close score of 4-3. For Youth HC Orange, Arbaaz was the standout performer with 2 goals, while Shahbaz Haider and Ali Iqbal also contributed with one goal each. On the other side, Babar Saadat’s 2 goals and Huzaifa’s single goal kept Hanif Khan in the hunt but ultimately fell short.
The second match featured a dominant performance by Dastgir HC, who overwhelmed PTCL HC with an impressive 8-3 win. Saad was the star of the match, scoring 6 goals for Dastgir, while Rahman added 2 goals to seal the victory. PTCL’s efforts saw Farooq and Haris scoring 2 and 1 goals, respectively.
In the third match, Youth HC Blue overcame Gulbarg HC with a scoreline of 5-2. Ryan led the charge with 4 goals, and Arslan added 1 to the tally, overshadowing Daniyal’s 2 goals for Gulberg.
Pak Flag HC showcased a commanding performance in the fourth match, defeating Jafri JHC by a staggering 10-1. Owais scored a remarkable 6 goals, Siddique netted 3, and Umar contributed 1 goal, while Jafri JHC’s Alia managed to score a consolation goal.
The fifth match saw Al Sagheer HC thrashing Baldiya with a resounding 10-0 victory. Bilal was the standout player with 5 goals, and Shahzeb, Mohsin, Ali Abbas, and Ahmed each added to the scoreline, marking the biggest margin of the day.
Rabbani HC secured a win against Central Fitness HC in the sixth match with a 4-1 victory. Umair’s hat trick and Dani’s contribution overshadowed the efforts of Abdullah, who scored 2 goals, and Owais, who netted 1 for Central Fitness HC.
In the seventh and final match of the day, Adnan Ladu and Nauman led Rabbani HC to another victory with each scoring 2 goals, complemented by Junaid’s single goal for Central Fitness HC.